Niagara Launcher 7.2 comes with much better performance; widget support in the works but until then here's a workaround

Niagara Launcher features an utterly simple user interface, which it makes far more distinguishable than Android's standard home screen experience. It does not support widgets, nor allows placing app icons or shortcuts wherever users want. Meanwhile, there are plans for widget support, though no proper launch date has been set.

Its most recent v7.2 release arrives with better-tuned scrolling performance and the following release notes:

You get notified when notification dots in system settings are disabled

Adjusted the app swipe menu design

You can now send multiline quick replies (in-app swipe menu)

Prevent some crashes introduced in the latest version

The widget situation

As widgets are very important for a lot of Android users, not having them in Niagara is a big turn off. This is why the developer is considering adding support for them in a future update. Furthermore, he has started a poll on Telegram asking the type of widgets most people prefer putting on their home screens.

Workaround

Pointed out by a couple of people on Niagara's Github issue tracker, there are a number of ways to temporarily overcome this hurdle. There are some apps that you can install from Google Play and one of them is called "Overlays". It basically allows placing widgets atop of apps, with an option to select custom triggers. To set it up:

Open Overlays.

Tap the '+' FAB button.

Select Widget and after that choose one.

Set a position and a size for it.

Hit SET TRIGGER - Foreground Application - Niagara.

That is it!

Now, whenever you get to your home screen, the widget you chose earlier will be displayed. As a side effect, it will be shown everywhere in Niagara, even in the settings.

In parallel with the included fixes and improvements, there have been quite a few changes made to the app’s architecture, so you may experience unexpected crashes or misbehaviour. Version 7.2 will be available on the Google Play Store soon, but you can install it early by downloading the APK from the link below.

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